• BOOKS
  • ABOUT

WILSON WYATT JR

~ WRITING & PHOTOGRAPHY – THE ART OF WORDS AND IMAGES

WILSON WYATT JR

Tag Archives: The Writer’s Center

Launching the 12th annual “Delmarva Review”

05 Tuesday Nov 2019

Posted by Wilson Wyatt Jr. in Inspiration, Maryland, Poetry, The Delmarva Review, Uncategorized, Writing, Writing and publishing today

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Anne Colwell, Authors, Best Writing, Book Reviews, Creative Nonfiction, Delaware, Delmarva Review Literary Fund, District of Columbia, Evocative, Fiction, Harold O. Wilson, Jay P. Fleming, Literary Journals, Maryland, Maryland State Arts Council, Meredith Davies Hadaway, Nonprofit Literary Journal, Poetry, Prose, Talbot County Arts Council, The Writer's Center, Virginia, Writers

From the cover photograph “Rough Water” by Jay P. Fleming

The Purpose of a Literary Journal  –  From my “Preface” as editor of the Delmarva Review

As a culture, we celebrate great literature. The best only comes along on occasion, at wide intervals of time. But we would have nothing to celebrate, ever, without the dogged perseverance of dedicated writers who struggle every day to produce their best work. Those who aspire to be better…to be the best…are the ones who fill the pages of established literary journals. The best writers have accessed something special in the hearts and feelings of readers…free of boundaries, and over time.

It is a privilege for literary journals to be among the first to present this writing. And, it is a privilege for writers to have their work selected for publication in an independent literary review.

Welcome to the twelfth annual edition of the Delmarva Review, our current contribution to discovering the best of new literary work. Our editors selected the original prose and poetry of fifty-three authors from thousands of submissions. Individually and collectively, the writing in this volume touches us as human beings. We can also enjoy the author’s craft and unique voice in the telling of stories and poetry.

Our editors selected 72 poems, 10 short stories, and nine nonfiction essays. We also reviewed six recent books of special interest, by regional writers. In all, the authors come from 17 states, the District of Columbia, and four other countries.

We are especially pleased to feature the poetry of Meredith Davies Hadaway. Poetry Editor Anne Colwell interviewed Meredith about her work, and six of her poems follow the interview.

While there is not one common theme emerging from this year’s work, there is an existential darkness that embodies many of the stories and poems. Perhaps that is a sign of our times.

As our Fiction Editor Hal Wilson described it, “In this post- truth era laced with self-serving cynicism, each author has unearthed a note of truth. It is the affirmation of life that runs counter to the basic Western belief that human beings are fundamentally flawed.” The authors face the reality of life; they find something of value through their writing, something worth nourishing in the heart of every human being.

The cover photograph, “Rough Water,” by contributing photographer Jay P. Fleming, perfectly embodies the themes from this year’s selections. Jay’s photograph captures the feeling of nature’s power and passion, which is expressed throughout this year’s writing.

Front cover, Delmarva Review, Volume 12

This edition contains surprises.  Pay attention to James Norcliffe’s poem, “The Man Who Turned Himself Into A Gun.” Norcliffe, from Christchurch, New Zealand, sent his poem to the Review soon after the mosques’ shootings in March.

Three startling pieces of writing address mental illness, from varying, highly personal perspectives. In our culture, we need this lens now more than ever.

As a journal, our focus is on the voice and literary qualities of authors’ work to tell their stories. We are impressed by the courage and clarity of a writer to reveal skillfully a personal feeling or truth that will be remembered. They represent human challenges in a changing world. In most cases, the stories take on more than one meaning. In all cases, the voice is authentic.

Delmarva Review was created to offer writers a valued venue to publish literary writing in print at a time when many commercial publications were shutting down. We favor the permanence of the printed word, but we also publish an electronic edition to meet the digital preferences of many readers. Both print and electronic editions are immediately available at Amazon.com and other major online booksellers.

We welcome submissions from all authors who pursue literary writing. Our editors read each submission at least once. Since the first issue, we have published the new work of over 340 writers from 42 states, the District of Columbia, and 12 foreign countries. Fifty-one percent are from the tri-state Delmarva and Chesapeake Bay region. Sixty have been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, and others have received notable mentions in Best American Essays and other publications.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit literary journal, we exist for aspiring writers and discerning readers. This is a contribution to our culture. We are greatly appreciative of the funding support we receive from individual tax-deductible contributions and from the Talbot County Arts Council, with revenues from the Maryland State Arts Council.

Wilson Wyatt, Jr.
Editor
Email: editor@delmarvareview.org

In support of Literary Journals…a free gift to all writers. By Wilson Wyatt, Executive Editor, Delmarva Review

21 Thursday Feb 2019

Posted by Wilson Wyatt Jr. in Inspiration, Maryland, The Delmarva Review, Uncategorized, Writing, Writing and publishing today

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Acceptance, Authors, Books, Commercial Magazines, Critics, Delaware, Delmarva Peninsula, Discovery, Eastern Shore Writers Association, Editors, Essays, Fiction, Literary Arts, Literary Journal, Literary Magazines, Maryland, Nonfiction, Poetry, Rejection, Short Stories, The Writer's Center, Virginia, Writers

Delmarva Review, Volume 11 – evocative prose and poetry

One of the great ironies in the writing business is the persistent misunderstanding by many writers of the purpose of literary journals.  Message to writers: We’re not against you; we exist for you.

Here is a good example of the potential value of literary reviews. Recently I received a personal email from an aspiring poet thanking us, as the editors of Delmarva Review, for printing his work four years earlier. We had published six of his poems, as a collection, to show the strength of his voice. In his email, the poet explained that our belief in his work bolstered his perseverance to write his best work, which resulted in a publisher producing his first book, as well as his receiving a National Endowment for the Arts literary fellowship.

He was excited; he shared his exhilaration. As executive editor, I felt we had received the ultimate reward for our efforts. Delmarva Review had succeeded in meeting a major objective—to encourage writers in their pursuit of literary excellence. It was working.

However, my sense of satisfaction was short-lived.

Later that day, I attended a writers’ reading at a local library. I enjoy hearing authors tell their stories in their unique voice. One of the writers came up to me to complain, with some bitterness, that after several repeated rejections, that person would never again submit to our journal. It was disheartening, but I listened. I explained why acceptance in Delmarva Review was competitive and to keep trying. Reliance on high standards assures a publication that earns respect throughout the literary community. That respect is totally transferrable to the writers whose work we publish.

We receive thousands of submissions annually. At least two experienced editors or readers read every one of them (at no cost to the writer). If a writer’s work is accepted, it is an accomplishment. Our readers–who include writers, editors and teachers–should expect to read a higher quality of writing in a literary journal than in a standard commercial magazine or book.

Unfortunately, rejection is a necessary part of the process. Any way you say it, rejection is rejection.

About rejection – We editors often tell each other that experienced writers understand rejection. But, the truth is, we’re all human, and one of the fallacies of human behavior is the frequent inability by artists, experienced or not, to recognize and appraise the limits of their own writing. Self-appraisal of an author’s writing is usually tainted by bias. Hopefully, we all like our own work. That’s only the beginning. Developing the ability to make a realistic assessment and knowing where to market one’s work is very, very difficult. But, not to try assures the hardness of rejection.

Speaking for Delmarva Review, we created it for the benefit of writers. “Literary” refers to writing that rises to a high artistic level. Cutting through a lot of philosophical thought, it is simply the pursuit of the best of literary art and beauty.  It is beyond craft.  Literary journals help assure a societal pathway toward continued literary excellence.

The literary journal gives writers an opportunity to publish their best efforts, a place to showcase their highest aspirations, and to be recognized for it. At a time when so many commercial publications are retracting, or going out of business, journals offer a respected, permanent place to print the best writing a writer can create. We have no other agenda. We are independent. We are nonprofit, and our editors draw no salaries. We care about the appearance of the writer’s words on a printed page and the thoughts behind them. Above all, we hope that our discoveries become the discoveries of other discerning readers and publishers who actively seek the best writing they can find.

The benefit to us is the reward of knowing that we have encouraged writers to exceed by offering a possible venue for their most creative expression.

So…don’t give up. If you’re a writer, a literary journal like Delmarva Review is your friend. We take pleasure in discovering your best. Rejection may or may not be a part of that process. But, if you try, you may very well succeed at something very special, very fulfilling.

For information and submissions, see our new website: www.DelmarvaReview.org.

“Chesapeake Views” – Blink of an eye

24 Monday Feb 2014

Posted by Wilson Wyatt Jr. in Chesapeake Bay, CHESAPEAKE VIEWS - CATCHING THE LIGHT, Maryland, Photography, Writing

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Annapolis, Best of Maryland Mentor Series, Chesapeake Bay, Dawn, Eastern Shore, Inspiration, Kentucky, Landscape and Nature Photography, Maryland, Natural Light, Nikon, Popular Photography Magazine, Pursuit of Beauty, St. Michaels, The Courier-Journal, The Writer's Center

Another book review of Chesapeake Views – Catching the Light. Thank you to Dara McBride, Feature Editor at The Cecil Whig, for the current article.

Chesapeake Sunrise, at Thomas Point Light

Chesapeake at Dawn, Thomas Point Light –  One of the images before the cover shot for the book.   Click on the image for a full view

This is the third consecutive book review and interview by an editor recently, all unsolicited. As a photographer and writer, I’m delighted.  In fairness, I must give most of the credit to the beauty of the Chesapeake Bay region. My contribution is a click of the shutter, a blink of the eye.

The published interview follows:

Photographer Wilson Wyatt catches Chesapeake moments                               By Dara McBride, dmcbride@cecilwhig.com | Wednesday, February 19, 2014

ST. MICHAELS — At just the right moment, with just the right light, photographer Wilson Wyatt can get the shot no one else can.

Out of 27 photographers taking photos of the Thomas Point Shoal Light, the historical Chesapeake Bay lighthouse, at dawn one morning, Wyatt walked away with the award-winning shot. After waiting for the sun to hit the roofline of the lighthouse, Wyatt captured the meeting of a cruise ship and tanker as they sky turned tangerine.

“Photography, for me, is purely a pursuit of beauty,” said Wyatt, 70, of St. Michaels. “A pursuit of passion and beauty, those are the things that make life worthwhile.”

The Chesapeake region has its own unique beauty, one that Wyatt has tried to capture as a photographer in his latest book, “Chesapeake Views — Catching the Light.” The scene of the Thomas Point Shoal Light, which won the Nikon Mentor Series “Best of Maryland” photo, is the cover of the book.

For area residents, the book is filled with familiar sights of the Eastern Shore, of lighthouses, sailboats and sunsets over water. The tabletop book includes 82 color images taken of the Chesapeake and Eastern Shore region. Also included in the book is information on where and how many of the images were taken.

Enchanted by the bay area, Wyatt and his wife decided to move to the Chesapeake region about 15 years ago.

Although now a skilled photographer, Wyatt started on the other side of communications: writing.

He started his career as a reporter and feature writer at The Courier-Journal in Kentucky and, intrigued by the skill of the newspaper’s photographers, took up photography as a hobby. He said he learned photography by studying the works of others and critique from mentors.

Over the years he has balanced both photography and writing. Right now, he is executive editor of literary journal The Delmarva Review and is active on the board of The Writer’s Center, in the Washington, D.C. area.

Today, he’s the one teaching the photography skills. As president of the Academy for Lifelong Learning at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, he leads spring classes in beginner and intermediate digital photography. He reminds himself and students that photography can be a demanding art.

Wyatt focuses on light in his series of Chesapeake photos. Photography is more than pointing a camera and pushing a button, he said. Photography is about catching light, the colors that make up a scene, how light bounces off clouds and waiting for the moment for it all to come together.

“I am definitely a morning person,” Wyatt said, commenting on his favorite time of the day to shoot. There are three stages of light to shoot in the morning, he explained: predawn light, the reflection on clouds before sunrise and the sunrise itself.

Photography is “a constant discovery,” Wyatt said.

“It’s always a challenge, and I wish I could go back and take many of the photos I took years ago again because I’ve gotten better,” said Wyatt.

In addition to “Chesapeake Views,” Wyatt has published another hardback book of his color photography in 2011, “Yosemite – Catching the Light.” He also publishes a blog on his experiences, Writing & Photography – the Art of Words and Images, at www.wilsonwyattjr.com.

For the full article in The Cecil Whig, go to:

http://www.cecildaily.com/features/arts_and_culture/article_c308bfd6-a792-59d1-8f7f-3c7334e2ed9f.html

Book Availability:

‘Chesapeake Views—Catching the Light,’ is available at Talbot County Public Libraries, the News Center, in Easton, MD and Mystery Loves Company, in Oxford, MD. For more information about signed copies of the book, contact the author directly by email at: wwwyatt2@gmail.com.

November Reflection, from "Chesapeake Views - Catching the Light" - click on image for a larger view

November Reflection, from “Chesapeake Views – Catching the Light”    click on image for a larger view

0.000000 0.000000

The Delmarva Review’s sixth edition honored by a reading at The Writer’s Center

11 Monday Nov 2013

Posted by Wilson Wyatt Jr. in Maryland, The Delmarva Review, Writing

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Creative Nonfiction, E. Laura Golberg, Eastern Shore Writers Association, Fiction, Inspiration, Judith Bowles, Literary Review, Literary Writing, Margaret Adams, Personal Essay, Poetry, Ron Capps, Ru Freeman, The Delmarva Review, The Writer's Center, Veteran's Writing Project, Veterans

The Delmarva Review, Volume 6 - print and digital editions

The Delmarva Review, Volume 6, 2013 in print and digital editions – Cover photograph by Christopher Woods   click on image for larger view

There wasn’t an empty chair as five authors took to the podium and read their writing from the new edition of The Delmarva Review, a journal publishing compelling literary prose and poetry. The venue was perfect. The Writer’s Center, in Bethesda, Maryland, is known as a special “home” to many writers. As one of the premier writers’ centers in the country, it welcomes and supports literary work (www.writer.org).

The authors had never read together before, but their performances were so complementary that, taken together, one might think they were choreographed.  They read to an attentive, responsive audience that packed the house.  It was a memorable literary event.

As executive editor, I am thankful for our five reading authors: fiction author Margaret Adams, of Baltimore, poet Judith Bowles, of Chevy Chase, MD, fiction author Ru Freeman, of the Philadelphia area, poet E. Laura Golberg, of Washington, DC, and essayist Ron Capps, Of Washington, DC.

There is something magical to all of us as editors when we experience a reading. The words jump off the page as we hear the author’s unique voice…live.  It often reveals a new dimension of the author’s deepest intentions.

The event was Sunday, the day before Veteran’s Day.  Appropriate to the occasion, the last presenter was Ron Capps, a soldier, Foreign Service officer, and a combat veteran of five recent wars. He founded the Veterans Writing Project (http://veteranswriting.org).  Mr. Capps delivered his stirring personal essay, “Writing My Way Home.”

The Delmarva Review, Vol. 6, is published by the Eastern Shore Writers Association to encourage and inspire literary writing.  Print issues can be ordered through the website: www.delmarvareview.com.  A digital edition for download to popular electronic reading devices is available at www.Amazon.com.

The submissions period for Volume 7 is open until February 28, 2014.  All writers, please see the Guideline page on the website.

Ron Capps, founder of the Veterans Writing Project, reading his essay in The Delmarva Review

Ron Capps reading his personal essay, “Writing My Way Home”                                    – photos by Wilson Wyatt

Fiction author Margaret Adams reading "Undertow"

Fiction author Margaret Adams reading “Undertow”

Fiction author Ru Freeman reading "Departure"

Fiction author Ru Freeman reading “Departure”

Poet E. Laura Golberg reading "The Solitary Farmer"

Poet E. Laura Golberg reading “The Solitary Farmer” and “Lockport Caves for Vita”

Poet Judith Bowles, who read "The Instrument" and "My Parkinson's and I attend my 50th Reunion"

Poet Judith Bowles, who read “The Instrument” and “My Parkinson’s and I attend my 50th Reunion”

0.000000 0.000000

A Choice…entertainment tonight, or poetry to inspire me for the rest of my life – Richard Blanco’s “One Today”

18 Saturday May 2013

Posted by Wilson Wyatt Jr. in Aging and Freedom, Inspiration, Poetry, The Future, Uncategorized, Writing

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Choices, Cuba, Emigration, Feelings, Inaugural Poet, Inspiration, Memories, One Home, One Nation, One People, Poetry, Richard Blanco, The Writer's Center, United States, Writing

_WWW3426web

I had that choice this week…one of those times to pick between the ordinary and the extraordinary.  I could have seen a good movie or a play or a show on TV.  Nothing wrong with that.  Today, entertainment is only a “click” away.

But, instead, we drove two hours to a special reading of a poem.  To hear Richard Blanco, the fifth Inaugural Poet in history, read from his personal poetry and “One Today,” the poem he wrote for the nation…at the 2013 Presidential Inauguration.  I knew this would be unique, rarely to be repeated in a small gathering, as the poet told his story.  Another emigrant making an indelible contribution to the United States.

My wife and I attended…no, we listened…at a special gathering orchestrated by The Writer’s Center, in Bethesda.  The poet, one of the Center’s former teachers, told his remarkable story.  These were the words behind the words…some of the raw history behind the music of his poetry.

Richard Blanco has been acclaimed in poetry circles, winning praise and awards, but now he is known as one of the few poets to be celebrated on the world stage.  This would be a distinctive experience, one of those times I could place delicately in my memory, offering inspiration on demand…a gift that keeps on giving.

From the ending of his poem, “One Today”

We head home: through the gloss of rain or weight

of snow, or the plum blush of dusk, but always, always

Home, always under one sky, our sky. And always

One moon like a silent drum tapping on every rooftop

And every window, one country—all of us—

Facing the stars. Hope—a new constellation waiting

For us to map it, waiting for us to name it—together.

# # #

A special “thank you” to my friends at The Writer’s Center, “one home,” a writer’s home, for creating this personal opportunity.

Inspiration is both soothing and awakening

10 Sunday Mar 2013

Posted by Wilson Wyatt Jr. in Inspiration, Photography, Writing

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Author's Voice, Creativity, Eastern Shore Writers, Images, Inspiration, Language, Music, Photography, Poet Anne Colwell, Poetic Thought, The Writer's Center, Time, Volunteering, Writing

Inspiration - click on image for a larger view

Morning Silence – click on image for a larger view

It has been a good week. A lot of volunteer tasks are getting done… various things for the Eastern Shore Writers Association, some photos for a book on the War of 1812, preparing a photography course, finished a writer’s blog interview, and contributing to a workshop project for The Writer’s Center…but one I overlooked was my own inspiration and creativity. That happens to us, doesn’t it? Time is a fickle mistress, sometimes revealing, but often steeped in denial.

That came to an end yesterday.  I was blessed to be with other writers listening to a poet and friend, Anne Colwell, speak on “poetic thought.”  Her remarks struck a chord with me.  Whether writing prose or poetry, much of an author’s voice comes from the sound and flow of language.  It is that wonderful music that creates lasting images in our memories.  One can extend that to photographic art.  Even in silence, the image creates its own cadence within us.  It is the magic of the artist’s voice.

I hope to carry this inspiration with me into the week ahead…soothed and awakened.

Writing

  • About
    • New Book: Chesapeake Views – Catching the Light

Photography

  • About
    • New Book: Chesapeake Views – Catching the Light

Past Posts

  • November 2021
  • November 2020
  • November 2019
  • February 2019
  • October 2018
  • December 2017
  • September 2017
  • February 2016
  • November 2015
  • February 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • September 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • January 2013
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • February 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,466 other subscribers

Blogroll

  • Discuss
  • Get Inspired
  • Get Polling
  • Get Support
  • Learn WordPress.com
  • WordPress Planet
  • WordPress.com News

Blog Stats

  • 28,042 hits

Log in/out

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • WILSON WYATT JR
    • Join 108 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • WILSON WYATT JR
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...